Whether you’re adding a second family room, a guest space or expanding the kitchen, having additional square footage in your residence is sure to be convenient. Just remember to think about the heating and cooling needs of the new room. One of those considerations should cover whether you should upgrade your HVAC system for a home addition in Fort Worth. Our instructions will help you as you get started with the process.
Option 1: No Upgrade Needed
If the home addition involves enlarging a space instead of putting on entirely new rooms, you may not need to enhance the HVAC system at all. This is often the instance if your heating and cooling equipment was too large to begin with. Book a load calculation from a pro technician, for example one from Calverley Service Experts by calling 817-380-5647. This will figure out if your present HVAC setup can take on the changes you’ve made to your house.
Option 2: Upgrade Your HVAC System
Another solution for getting heat and air conditioning into your home addition is to extend the ductwork from your present forced-air equipment. If you use radiators or baseboard heating, you can add hot water piping to the new area.
Be mindful that, in addition to ductwork or water piping, you may also have to put in HVAC equipment to handle the higher load. The resulting increase in electricity usage could even need an electrical panel upgrade. If your heating and cooling system needs to be replaced soon, this may be a good solution.
Option 3: Get a Ductless Mini-Split
Rather than installing a new system to manage the additional square footage, you can put in a stand-alone one. Ductless mini-splits are ideal for this. They have two parts. There’s a condensing system that sits on the ground outdoors, similar to an air conditioner. Then there’s the sleek indoor blower that mounts to the ceiling or wall.
Like a central heat pump, mini-split HVAC systems deliver both heating and cooling for year-round comfort from a sole piece of equipment.
Since it has a wall- or ceiling-mounted air handler, no ductwork is required. You can even add up to four indoor air handlers with one outdoor unit for zoned heating and cooling in distinct parts of your residence. A ductless mini-split might be the ideal HVAC option for your home addition if:
- Your current system can’t take on the extra square footage, and you’re not ready to replace everything right now.
- The old and additional spaces have differing heating and cooling needs.
- You would like to add air conditioning to your home without installing or extending the ductwork.
If you need help determining which HVAC option is a good match, let Calverley Service Experts give our suggestions. We have a lot of experience helping homeowners dial in their indoor comfort, with a commitment to efficiency and eco-friendly HVAC solutions.
Let us start by conducting a load calculation to figure out your needs. Then, we can provide cost comparisons for ductwork installation and system upgrades vs. installing a ductless mini-split HVAC system. We’ll offer you all the possibilities so you can make a smart decision. To begin, reach at 817-380-5647 to schedule an appointment right away!